


Treble Clef

by SerpentineTraveler



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), as always, connor works at a music store cuz why not, cuz why not, he also sings, i never edit ever, inconsistent tense use, sorrrrrryyyyyy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 08:31:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15926693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerpentineTraveler/pseuds/SerpentineTraveler
Summary: After the events at Hart Plaza, Connor has nothing to do.  He's still very confused with emotions and he struggles under the weight of his actions.  He eventually finds a love of music, first learning guitar from Hank, then starting to write his own music, eventually finding a job at a music store, called Treble Clef.





	1. Chapter 1

In the months following the events at Hart Plaza, Connor found himself adrift. He stayed in Jericho for a couple of weeks but felt like he was intruding, as the rest of Jericho either didn’t trust him (the members of Jericho who only knew him by his actions as the dreaded Deviant Hunter), trusted him entirely too much (the Cyberlife Tower androids), or were finally being allowed to grieve for their lost friends (the leaders of Jericho; Markus, Josh, and North).

He gravitated most naturally towards Markus, but he knew the leaders needed time to themselves to process the loss of Simon, and Connor felt entirely out of place. Simon was a vulnerable point for Connor as well, in a way that would surely not be appreciated. Connor had been in Simon’s head and felt his desperation and fear, he felt him die. It had been one of the first times he had felt anything, and had only reminded him of his first mission, with Daniel. Ultimately successful, but he remembered the slow shutdown caused by the bullets in his back courtesy of the falling Deviant. He hoped the girl (Emma? The details of that day became muddled, as the memory transfer was not foolproof) wasn’t too traumatized by the whole thing.

So Connor left quietly, and spent a few days on his own, wandering until he found himself near the Chicken Feed, only to see a familiar silhouette. Smiling as the man turned around, he was surprised when the Lieutenant grabbed him by the neck and drew him in.

A hug. He’d never had one of those before; it was warm, safe. He decided he liked hugs, as he rested his arms around his first (only?) friend. 

At some point they broke apart and relocated to Hank’s home, the cold bothering both of their systems, bringing a flush to the human’s face and slowing the thirium running through Connor’s veins. Connor had been ecstatic to reunite with Sumo, immediately shoving his face into the dogs furry neck.

Hank, having followed him in, chuckled as he headed towards the kitchen, “So how have things been over at Jericho?”

Connor looks up and then back at Sumo, intertwining his fingers into the dogs furry ears, “I assume so, while I haven’t been there in several days, I should think Markus would have contacted me should he need anything…”

Hank pauses in the kitchen doorway, looking back at the android, “Wait, you haven’t been at Jericho? Why? Where the fuck you been staying then?”

“I- I’m not welcome there, I feel like an intruder. And I haven’t been staying anywhere, Lieutenant, just wandering.”

“Okay first off, its Hank, we’ve been through enough shit so we might as well be on first name basis, and also I am indefinitely off-duty, with the evacuation order. Second of all, you have been stayin’ outside in the weather? Why the hell didn’t you come to me!”

Connor stood awkwardly, avoiding eye contact, “I didn’t want to assume anything, and I was unsure you’d want to see me. I did get you held at gunpoint after all.”

Hank pinched his nose and released a slow stream of air, “Okay, you are staying here.” Seeing Connor open his mouth to object, he cuts him off and points an accusing finger at his chest, “no arguments.”

Connor just tucks his chin into his collar, and allows a small smile to creep onto his face, “Al-alright Lieut- Hank. Thank you.”

Hank just shrugs and continues into the kitchen. “Hrmf. I’m gonna make coffee. You want anything? I have some thirium in the fridge that I pilfered from the precinct’s supply when the evac order went out.”

Connor was surprised, and in no small part, touched. That statement means that Hank had been thinking of him, assuming Connor would at least visit.

“That would be much appreciated, Hank, thank you. I’ve been low on thirium since the Tower.”

He can hear the coffee maker starting up, and he moves to sit on the couch, sitting perfectly straight, feet flat on the floor. And he is sitting like that when Hank comes out of the kitchen, two steaming mugs in hand. He sets them both on the coffee table and settles next to Connor on the couch.

“Google said that thirium could be heated up, and its traditional to come home to a warm drink on snowy days. I thought you might appreciate that, though maybe comfort means nothing if you sit like a fuckin statue, like that, come on, relax.”

Shaking his head, Connor’s brow crinkles in slight confusion, before toeing off his shoes and picking up the mug of thirium still steaming on the table. He proceeds to pull his knees to his chest and holds the warm mug between both hands as close to his chest as possible. It has a similar effect as the hug, it makes him feel warm and safe.

Hank just watches him, a quirked eyebrow, “So, you gonna tell me what happened after we last parted?”

Watching the thirium twirl in the mug, Connor hesitates, but takes a deep breath (unnecessary, but it makes him feel better somehow, maybe a consequence of deviancy?), exhaling slowly, before opening his mouth and beginning to speak.

He talks about Simon and he talks about Daniel and the girl. He talks about the gourami he saved when his programming indicated he shouldn’t care. He nervously brings up Amanda, about the role she had in his life. He isn’t ready to talk about her taking control just yet, but Hank can tell she was more dangerous than Connor was letting on at this moment. He can tell the android isn’t ready to talk about it though, and makes a note to bring it up at a later time.

The day ends with Connor breaking down, and Hank just hugging him through it.

Over the next few months, Connor becomes more comfortable with living with Hank, starts to forgive himself. He still carries a lot of guilt and distrust of himself, but the war isn’t won in a day.

He begins to spend time at Jericho again, still not feeling entirely comfortable, but he wants to eventually be. And he doesn’t want to be overly burdensome on Hank by always being in the house and being his...poodle for lack of a better term.

People slowly began moving back into Detroit, so businesses and organizations began to reopen. The Police Department being one of the first public service departments to reopen, though significantly smaller. Hank returned to work. Connor wasn’t rehired.

Connor gets Hank to look into recovering Simon’s body, and Connor takes him to Kamski. Kamski, as a thanks for not destroying Chloe, picks up the project. Simon wakes up a week later, confused, seeing the same face he saw when he died. Instinctively he started to attack Connor, but is stopped by Kamski and Chloe. Though Connor had made no move to defend himself. Something Simon had noticed even in his confusion. When everything had been explained, Simon dragged Connor into a quick hug. Connor had been shocked, but had accepted the gesture. Simon ^^^FRIEND.

Markus, Josh, and North had been flabbergasted. Connor thought the reunion between the group was truly heartwarming, even if he still felt a pang in his chest at being alone.

Before he left that day, Simon grabbed his arm, “You know I’m here for you if you ever want to talk.”

Connor had just nodded but he had left with a small, but unmissable smile tugging at his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

There were no laws on android employment, the President and Congress proving unwilling to make any speedy change, seeming to try and ignore the problem and hope it goes away. Something Markus and Josh were working hard on rectifying.

Many of the businesses hired androids under the table, and while not all, most were treated as well as a human employee would have been. The people who had moved back into the city tended to be the more accepting crowd. Something the androids of Jericho were grateful for.

While Connor was disappointed at not being able to rejoin the field he had been built for, he found other things to fill his time. He wasn’t surprised that he wasn’t rehired--both that to hire and android wasn’t technically legal at this time, but also the last time he had been there, he had broken into the evidence room and beat a detective unconscious. And then helped front a revolution.

Connor instead turned his attention to finding things he enjoyed. One of those things being music. So much of his time was spent exploring new artists, often listening with actual headphones as he walked Sumo or even just walking to walk. He loved wandering, directionless, able to focus on the music and the emotion in it.

Sometime after being rejected from the DPD, he had been rummaging through Hank’s garage, he had found a couple of guitars. An acoustic and an electric. Digging deeper, he found a small amp and appropriate cords.

The ex-detective immediately turned to Hank, inquiring about them. 

“I used to play a lot in college and after, before juggling work and family became took too much time. I can teach you, if you want.”

So Connor learned to play guitar, the human way, without downloading the skillset. Hank had forbidden it, saying that it would remove all the character from the music. That the slight differences between players were what made music so impactful. Connor had to agree. He threw himself into music, into learning not just guitar, but into lyricism. The android had always found it difficult to express himself, and he found that putting his emotions into music was particularly cathartic. 

On one of his walks, he discovered a that a music shop had reopened, called Treble Clef, and hadn’t been able to resist walking in. It had a section of CDs but also a section with instruments, a grand piano sitting front and center, along with shelves and shelves of sheet music organized by era and genre. 

The owner was a pleasant older man named Sam, who had been overjoyed to see an android come in with such interest painted on his face. He had taken Connor under his wing and guided him towards different music he thought he might enjoy. 

After a few weeks of visiting every couple of days, Sam offered Connor a job. Connor accepted in a heartbeat.

Hank and been proud of him. And though it meant spending less time at home, and less time at Jericho, he found that it did him a world of good for his social skills. The patrons were androids more often than not, but even when they recognized him from his past, they seemed willing enough to buy they’re items and go. He seemed so much less threatening in the store, he supposed.

A consequence of working at Treble Clef, Connor discovered that he loved working with kids. They always seemed excited about everything new. He loved sharing his knowledge with them, and they seemed to enjoy his boundless knowledge. The few huma children he saw were always so interested in his ability to google anything in his head. They liked learning about how androids worked, and they had no problem with accepting androids as living beings. Children were always the most open minded of them all.

There was the occasional bigot who walked in the door, but while Connor just put up with it, Sam would always be quick to raise his voice and kick them out of his shop. Putting it in no uncertain terms that that sort of behavior would not be tolerated.

On Connor’s 2 month anniversary working there, Sam had gifted him a leatherbound notebook half filled with blank sheet music and half blank pages, and taught him how to compose music for the lyrics Sam had found written in perfect Cyberlife Sans in the corners of receipts. 

The notebook filled up quick. Sam had been more than happy to help him record the different instruments for him. In the end, Connor decided not to include the vocals on the recordings. It seemed too personal, Connor knew he could always go back and record the lyrics later, though. He was also somewhat insecure about his voice, though both Sam and Hank assured him that he was a fine singer.

His job meant he spent significantly less time at Jericho, and he had never told Markus of any of the rest of them why he suddenly spent less time there. Eventually he he had gotten a message from Markus and all he had said was that he had gotten a job.

He’d been touched by the concern in the message from the revolutionary leader, he hadn’t realized he mattered to him. He’d never tell anyone but Connor really admired the other android. He’d been through so much and had come out on top, willing to fight for others even if he himself wasn’t feeling so good. Connor wanted to be able to be there for the heterochromatic eyed android when he couldn’t be strong. Hank had teased him mercilessly after he had described his feelings.

And when Connor had asked Sam to teach him how to play piano, the man had refused, with a sly smile and a mischievous look in his eye. 

“I will not, but I know a certain android leader plays and would surely be able to teach you.”

Connor had been confused for the entirety of 10 seconds before scowling, cursing Hank under his breath. Introducing the two had been a mistake.

Connor had been working at Treble Clef for about 6 months when the evacuation order was revoked, and humans flooded Detroit. 

He had been working there for 8 months when Kara, Alice, and Luther came back to Detroit. 

He had heard from Simon that they had had a family of newcomers come back from Canada, but hadn’t realized until later that it was the woman and her daughter he had almost chased across a highway. While he was relieved to hear they were doing well, he was also worried about their opinions of him. So he stayed away from Jericho even more.

Eventually Sam had had enough of Connor’s constant presence, and had forced Connor to take a week off. Sam was tired of Connor using Treble Clef as an excuse to hide from his problems. 

For fear of being fired, Connor was forced to accept. Unfortunately that same week, Hank was out of town for work. He makes Connor promise to spend the week at Jericho, going as far as boarding Sumo, so Connor has no reason to stay home during the day. 

Connor spends most of the first couple of days exploring Jericho, finding new places to tuck himself away. On the third day he was discovered. By Alice.

“You are the one who chased us that time at Ralph’s and then at the the highway.”

Connor looked at the ground, and then back at the girl, hugging his arms to himself, “I- I am. I’m so sorry. That- That was before I was me.”

She took a few steps forward, he took a few steps back.

“It’s okay, I forgive you.”

In his shocked relief, he froze, and in that moment Alice went up and hugged his knees.

Still hugging his legs, she looks up into his teary eyes, “You can’t help who you were, but I want to know you, now.”

Over the next couple of days, Alice would come find him. She always seemed to know exactly where he was too.

On the fifth day, Connor thought to ask if Kara knew that Alice was with him. She tucked her face into his jacket. He heard a muffled “no, but I’m scared she won’t let me see you.”

Pulling the girl out of his coat, he knelt and put his hands on her shoulders, “Oh Alice, you have to tell her, this could get me in trouble, you know. Promise me you’ll tell her tomorrow, she’s your mother, she needs to know where you are. Where do your parents think you are when you’re here?”

Alice was starting to tear up, “They think I’m with Simon. But I tell Simon that I’m gonna go find you. But he doesn’t know that Mama doesn’t like you.”

Connor’s eyes soften. “Alice it’s okay, but you will tell her, won’t you.”

Alice reluctantly nods.

“Good girl.” Alice still looked upset. Connor hated the sad look on her face, “Hey do you like music, Alice?”

Startled, the girl scrunches her eyebrows together and nods. Connor pulls her into a hug, and leads them to the couch.

Connor reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small speaker. He loads a few songs of his and presses play.

Soft piano began to fill the room. And he began to [sing](https://youtu.be/Oextk-If8HQ). 

Alice’s eyes grew wide, and a smile began to light up her face. 

The song came to a close, and Alice only buries further into his chest. Her muffled voice barely reaching his ears, “That was so pretty. Will you sing to me until Kara comes back?”

Leaning down, he taps the freckles on her nose, “Of course, little fawn.”

So he sings for her. And when Alice stiffens, he knows their day has come to an end. Alice reluctantly moves towards the door, getting as far as the doorway, before turning around and racing back to hug him, “‘Bye Connor.”

He tucks the little speaker in her pocket when he hugs her back.

“Goodbye, little fawn.”


	3. Chapter 3

Day six of his enforced vacation was the worst. Alice didn’t come and find him and he spends the day moping by himself. He assumes Kara forbid her, and he gets it, but he’s is still disappointed.

The spot he has chosen is lazy, and Markus spots him immediately. The man sidles over to him and nudges his shoulder. “Hey Connor, you look sadder than I’ve seen in a while. Though I really haven’t seen all that much of you, even before you got a job where ever you work…” He raises an eyebrow, a clear question in his body language.

Slightly flustered by Markus’ closeness, Connor startles a bit before hesitantly talking about Treble Clef. 

Seeing only genuine interest, Connor’s spiel ramps up, going into depth into the music he’s been exploring and how his experiences at Treble Clef have helped him in his struggle with deviancy. He talks about Sam and how he helps guide him to recognize his own emotions through music and Markus can’t help but think of Carl, and how he helped (and continues to help) Markus find himself through art.

Markus had been surprised to come into the lightly travelled room somewhat disconnected from the main part of Jericho and find Connor. And the fact that Connor was displaying his emotions so openly was both heartwarming and slightly distressing, he seemed to be struggling.

He was extremely pleased to see a spark of life fill Connor’s eyes as he talked about his job and his life at the moment. And while Markus was disappointed Connor was still so uncomfortable at Jericho, he was definitely getting there, and Markus hoped to aid the transition. Connor had been allowed to distance himself for far too long, in Markus’ eyes.

Markus noted that Connor became more demonstrative with his whole body talking about things he loved. Given, it was still somewhat reserved, it was still Connor, after all, but more than Markus had ever seen before. Previous times the two had spoken, Connor had behaved somewhat overly formal. Markus suspected it was a lingering guilt, even if he had done more than any other android to save the Revolution and even after. 

Even North had warmed up to the former Deviant Hunter, though Connor was unlikely to have realized it. North was an acquired taste, to say the least, but she was impressed by his combat skills, and she very much appreciated how hard Connor’s actions had hit Cyberlife. She’d spent some time with the deviants he had encountered and let go; mostly Amy and Rose, two Traci units who he’d apparently had the opportunity to shoot, but hadn’t, despite them having attacked him first. 

Every time Connor made eye contact with him, Markus could feel his thirium pump thrum a little faster. He had admired the other android for months now, but he was worried he’d scare the ex-detective off. 

But with the way Connor flushed when he noticed Markus’ eyes flit unintentionally to his mouth, he might just have a chance.

Connor faltered, flushing even more blue as he realized he had monopolized the conversation. 

“I’m sorry, you probably have something to do and here I go rambling on…”

Markus shook his head, “No, I’m all free for the time being, and I was really enjoying your enthusiasm. It is really great to hear you have found something you are so passionate about.” He puts a hand on Connor’s knee and squeezes, “I am always here if you need someone.”

They sit in comfortable silence for awhile before Markus gets up and rests a hand on Connor’s shoulder, “I also wanted to let you know that we are going to have a get together tomorrow at 4:30 and I would really love it if you would come. It will be held in the church, you know the one.”

Held on the spot by his crush, Connor couldn’t refuse.

And that is how Connor found himself standing in the doorway to the church, fighting an uncomfortable feeling, like his thirium lines were twisting up into knots.

The church had gone through extensive renovations, no longer looking like a church at all, except for the tall, arching ceilings. Instead, it looked much more like a cozy living room, a large fireplace where the altar once was, and an large number of couches and chairs.

Pushing open the door, he say all the usual suspects, Markus, North, Josh and Simon, as well as Amy and Rose. 

“Connor!” rang out a small voice. His eyes shoot to the couch closest to the fire, seeing Alice first, before seeing a tense Kara. Luther standing nearby, protective in posture, though with less accusation in his eyes.

He looks back to Alice, a small smile gracing his lips, warmth in his eyes, “Hello Alice”

He sees Kara relax slightly, and he mouths “I’m sorry” to her before turning to greet Markus and Simon.

“Connor! I’m so happy you could come!” Markus gets to his feet, roughly setting the glass in his hand on the table, the blue liquid sloshing dangerously close to spilling. He throws an arm around Connors neck, dragging him into a tight hug.

Connor freezes before slowly returning the hug. He can see North and Simon cackling, nursing glasses of their own. Josh just rolls his eyes and says, “They released a sort of ‘android alcohol’ last week. It’s thirium based, and we’ve discovered that Markus is kind of a lightweight.”

Connor coughs, “An affectionate drunk? Or am I just special.”

North pipes in with, “Oh you’re special alright. That man wants to jump your bones, your metal android bones.”

Simon swats at her in response, and offers Connor glass. He swirls it a bit before taking a small sip. Its bitter, but not overly so. 

Conversation flows easy, with two people already tipsy, and Connor feels the best he has in months. He finally feels like he fits in to this group that had once seemed so impenetrable to him.

At some point, Connor breaks from the group to go and speak to Kara. Alice spots him first, tugging on Kara’s shirt sleeve, and pointing to him. Kara makes eye contact and says nothing, waiting for Connor to break the silence. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for putting you and your daughter in danger. I was only a machine then, I didn’t understand what I was doing. But I know who I am now, and I would love to get to know you and your family better, if you would allow me.”

Kara stands, smiles, and puts her hand out. “Hello, my name is Kara. This is my partner, Luther, and I think you know my daughter already.”

Connor feels like he is going to collapse as the tension leaves his body all at once. He takes the offered hand, “Hello Kara, my name is Connor, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

As soon and they part, Alice races to hug his legs. “Hello, little fawn,” he kneels to hug her properly. 

And while he could feel Markus’ and the others’ eyes on him, he could find it in himself to care.

“Would- Would you sing something for me Connor? There’s one song on the thingie you gave me that I didn’t hear.”

Connor freezes. He wasn’t prepared to perform anything, he hadn’t ever performed anything in front of anyone other that Sam, Hank, and Alice. But he couldn’t say no to Alice.

“Al-Alright, why don’t you connect the ‘thingy’ to the speaker system over there and choose the song you want.”

So she does, and he takes an anxious breath and all of a sudden all eyes are looking at Alice as she stands at the front of the room and says, “Hi everyone, so I want to play this song because it was written by my friend and this thing only has the music, not the lyrics, but they said they’d sing it for me.”

She turns around and presses a button and the music starts. And he curses because of course it’s this song, but he’s committed now, he told Alice he’d sing.

But then the eyes are on him, because he’s started to [sing](https://youtu.be/LkgwxcwbaqQ). He keeps his eyes solely on Alice, because he knows he won’t be able to finish out the song if he sees anyone else’s reaction.

The song ends and he finally turns around to see wide eyes from everyone, and after a heartbeat of silence, the group breaks into applause. And though flattered, Connor doesn’t know what to to do with the attention. His eyes scan from face to face, finally coming to rest on Markus’ face, who is now completely sober, his eyes swimming with too many emotions for Connor to identify.

It’s all _too much_ , and he makes a swift escape. Darting into the first empty room he finds, he slumps against the wall, curling on himself. He hates this, this being unable to identify what exactly he is feeling and why he couldn’t even handle the positive response. 

He knows Hank and Sam, and probably Markus and Simon too, would remind him that he hasn’t been awake for even a year yet, and his programming had been the most confining, making him believe that he had been built with a personality and built believing feeling was inherently wrong. And he knew it would take time, and he knows he’s made remarkable progress. Sometimes he just has to let things go. It’s _okay_ to be overwhelmed sometimes. 

And even if he doesn’t get better at identifying his own emotions, that is also okay. He knows he has people who will help him.

Ten minutes later, Connor is much more relaxed. He isn’t ready to go back to the party, but when he gets a message from Markus asking if he could join him, he accepts. 

Entering the room quietly, Markus says nothing as he sits on the floor next to Connor, just being a comforting presence.

A few minutes pass before Connor shuffles over, pressing into Markus’ side.

Eventually, Markus breaks the silence.

“You know you were amazing, right. I had no idea you wrote music or that you could sing.”

Connor just sniffs, “Well, I prefer playing guitar and writing, but singing is nice too. I just, wouldn’t feel comfortable having anyone else sing my lyrics.” 

Fifteen minutes pass before either of them speak again.

And once again, it’s Markus.

“I could love you, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I could love you too.”


	4. Chapter 4

Eventually the duo rejoins the group, an obvious change in their relationship. 

The party ends soon after, all parties heading home. Connor and Markus are the last, sharing a long hug before Connor heads back to Hank’s house. He really isn’t looking forward to telling Hank and Sam about this development, knowing he will be teased mercilessly. He can already hear the “told you so’s” from both of them.

He voices his dread to Markus, who laughs and assures him that Markus would get just as bad from North and that group and then again from Carl.

Just before turning the corner, remembers something. Turning around, Connor calls back to Markus, “You would happen to be willing to teach me piano, would you?”

The android just laughs and hollars back, “Of course! Lessons start tomorrow!”

When Connor goes back to work a couple days later, he just tells Sam that he has piano lessons lined up and Sam can just tell. He laughs for a while and pokes fun but ultimately is happy for him.

When Markus comes by the store a week later, Sam wolf whistles and pats Connor on the back, congratulating him on ‘the catch.’ Connor is mortified but at the same time, touched. 

Hank is insufferable, as Connor predicted. As Connor’s oldest friend, he took it upon himself to give Markus the shovel talk.

Markus does give Connor piano lessons but more often than not they get distracted, to the point that Sam does end up actually giving Connor lessons. 

Music remains one of the most important things in Connor’s life. He doesn’t need to have names for what he’s feeling to express it.

Connor is extraordinarily happy. He spends a lot of time at the Manfred’s, he and Carl getting along fantastically. Connor makes a mental note to introduce Carl and Sam, though he worries that it could end in disaster, putting the well meaning but meddling old men in cahoots.

He would often playing piano in the living room while he waits for Markus to come home, more often than not, losing himself in the music. Markus always coming up and hugging him from behind, pressing a kiss onto Connor’s neck, Connor just humming in appreciation until the song comes to and end. 

The days aways end with Connor twisting around and pulling Markus into a proper kiss, and the setting sun filters through the windows, lighting up his brown eyes.


End file.
